Snap-on spur retainer



Nov. 2, 1937. w. J. SEYFARTH 2,098,017

SNAP-ON SPUR RETAINER Filed July 12, 1937 MM JLY/E/ENTOR.

A1 A QRNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATET OFFIE SNAP-ON SPUR RETAINER William Julius Seyfarth, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application July 12, 1937, Serial No. 153,141

4 Claims.

My invention relates generally to improvements in riding spurs and has for its objects to provide a type of spur adaptable to co-operate with retaining means upon the boot heel whereby the spur proper may be made very light and compact. A second object is to provide a spur which may be attached to the boot heel and removed therefrom with a minimum amount of effort on the part of the wearer. A third object is to provide a spur of the type described which may be made cheaply and economically, and a fourth object is to provide a boot heel having attachments to receive a spur of the type herein described to form a co-operative retention means which is easily applied to the boot heel and will not interfere with the use of the boot when the spur is not being worn. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I attain the foregoing objects by means of the design of the spur illustrated in the accompanying drawing, together with the construction of the boot heel as therein illustrated and hereinafter described.

In said drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my Q spur in place upon a boot heel with a portion of the boot body being shown toindicate the relative position thereof; Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the boot heel with the spur removed; and Fig. 4 is a rear View of the spur in position on the boot heel, only the central portion of each being shown, while the protruding ends of the retaining spring are shown unexpanded.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

The spur frame, or body, 2 is shaped to closely follow the rear curved contour of the heel 3, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The open end of this body terminates in two tines 4 and 5 in the usual manner, which extend a slight distance beyond the forward straight edge 6 of the heel 3. The rounded rear portion of this body carries a hanger 1, which is slotted to provide a bearing for the spur proper 8. The forward end portion of tines 4 and 5 is enlarged vertically of the spur body, and within these enlarged portions pairs of holes 9 and I0, and II and 12, are drilled piercing this enlarged portion laterally of the spur body. These pairs of holes are vertically positioned one over the other and spaced so that they will receive spring hooks l3 formed at each end of the laterally extending steel spring M. The reason for having more than one set of holes, such as 9 and I0, is to provide for adjustment of the spur to various lengths of heel, but for the purpose of operation it is to be understood that only one set of holes on each side is used at any one time.

The body of the spur is preferably made of forged steel properly finished, but any other suitable material may be used so long as it is stiff enough to be adapted to the requirements as hereinafter described. The spring Iii when in place as illustrated in Fig. 2, is under a considerable tension. This tension is sufficient so that its convolutions are somewhat expanded, and by reason of this it resists any tendency to bend from a straight line. However, it is intended that this tension is not sufficient to collapse the tines or to draw them together to an extent so that they do not conform to the flat side of the heel.

At the rounded rear portion of the heel body, a lip I5 is formed to engage the rim 24 of the screw peg i6 inserted into the rounded rear portion of the heel 3 a slight distance below the upper edge thereof and a sufiicient distance to permit the spur frame to easily ride between it and the lower edge ll of the boot body. On the forward edge 6 of the boot heel lugs [8 are attached a sufficient distance below the top of the heel' to permit the spring M to be received between them. and the sole of the boot, indicated at E9, Fig. 3. The position of spring I 4 is indicated by the dotted outline so marked.

The spur is placed upon the boot by first hooking spring M over the lugs 18, then pulling the body backward against the tension of spring l4 which tends to resist the motion pulling it out of a straight line, until the rear inner curve of the spur body will pass the outer edge of the peg IS.

The spur is then moved upward until it lodges above this peg as shown in Fig. 1. It is held in this position by the tendency of the tension of spring M to resist longitudinal motion which would lengthen it by pulling it out of a straight line around the forward corners of the boot heel. 40 Vertical motion is prevented by the lodgement of spring l4 between lugs i8 and the sole E9 at the forward end of the spur body and by the confinement of the rear end of the spur body between the edge of the boot ll and the peg I6. 45 If the shape of the boot does not provide a distinct rounded edge, as illustrated at H, its vertical motion is, nevertheless, prevented by contact with the rear edge of the boot if it should follow an are having a radius approximating the 0 center of spring l4.

When it is desired to remove the spur from the boot, it is pulled rearwardly and downwardly to a position indicated substantially by dotted lines 20, at which position the rear curved por- 55 tion of the spur body clears peg I 6 and thereafter it may be moved downwardly in the direction of arrow 2| and quickly released.

In the form shown herewith, the peg l6 and lugs l8 are made of metal; the peg consisting of a cylindrical stem 22'having an inner screw portion 23, indicated by dotted lines, (Fig. 3), and a hexagon shaped rim 24 which affords means for attachment. It may also have a squared recess 25 to receive a small internal wrench for the same purpose. Likewise, lugs I8 are indicated as being screw eyes threaded into the leather portion of the boot heel.

By means of these attachments an ordinary boot heel is easily converted to provide the retention means which constitutes a part of my spur. However, if it is desired to build a boot heel to fit this type of spur, these retention devices may be supplanted by protruding lips of leather, which may be a part of that particular leather layer piece 26, Fig. 3, which may be provided with extending portions at the proper positions on the rounded rear portion of the heel and the forward fiat portion, both corresponding to the positions of peg l6 and lugs 18.

Having now described my invention and its use I wish to be limited only to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A snap-on spur for riding boots comprising a solid spur body having a spur attached to its rounded rear portion and having forwardly extending tines adapted to receive a tension spring there-between, a tension spring attached to said tines and extending laterally there-between in combination with a retaining peg extending outwardly from the rear rounded portion of the boot heel and lugs extending outwardly from the forward fiat vertical face of said boot heel.

2. A snap-on spur and retainer for riding boots comprising a U shaped body portion having a spur proper extending outward from the rounded rear portion thereof and forwardly extending tines provided with a plurality of pairs of holes to receive the hooked ends of a retention spring,

a retention spring having hooks engaging the said holes in said tines and extending laterally of said spur body normally under tension to resist longitudinal movement, a protruding peg at the rear rounded portion of the boot heel adapted to engage the lower portion of said spur frame and lugs attached to the forward vertical straight side of said boot heel extending outwardly therefrom to provide retention means for said spring against the sole of the boot.

3. A snap-on spur retainer comprising, in combination, a U shaped spur body having a spur proper attached to and extending outwardly from its rounded rear portion and forwardly extending tines provided with openings to receive the hooked ends of a retention spring at predetermined positions relative to the rounded rear of said spur, a laterally extending retention spring having hooked ends engaging said tines and normally under tension to resist longitudinal movement, the lower rear edge of the body portion of said spur being provided with a downwardly extending lip, a peg having a retaining rim to engage the lip on said spur body afiixed to the rear rounded portion of said heel and lugs forming retaining means for said spring attached to the forward vertical portion of said heel.

4. A snap-on spur retainer comprising a spur body adapted to closely approximate the contour of the boot heel to which it is applied, having a spur proper extending from its rear rounded portion and its tines extending slightly forward from the forward edge of said heel, a transverse spring extending between said tines normally under tension, together with protrusions on the boot heel to which said spur is attached forming retention means at the rear of said heel to retain said rounded rear portion of the spur body, and retention means at the forward vertical edge of said heel for said transverse spring, said spur body being held in place upon said heel resiliently by said transverse spring normally tending to resist rearward motion of said spur body.

WILLIAM JULIUS SEYFARTI-I. 

